We are working in partnership with a range of Nigerian broadcasters and media professionals to raise awareness and change behaviour around HIV and AIDS among young people in Nigeria.
Start date: April 2005
End date: ongoing
Media types: television, radio, film
Issue: health
Country: Nigeria
Specifically, we are working to:
- Increase the correct knowledge of HIV and AIDS and prevention methods among young Nigerians aged 15-24
- Increase the confidence and skills to negotiate an equitable partnership by young Nigerian women and men
- Increase the confidence and skills by young Nigerians to negotiate support from parents and community leaders conducive to their sexual health
- Increase the tolerance and acceptance among young Nigerians towards people living with HIV and AIDS.
Our approach is based on the principles of social marketing, where entertainment is used to promote acceptance and recall of messages on sexual health.
We are producing:
- Two radio discussion programmes
- Radio and television public service announcements
- A television drama series
- Films designed to achieve demonstrable improvements in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours relating to HIV and AIDS
Wetin Dey
Wetin Day is a groundbreaking 30-minute weekly television drama series that explores the social realities facing young people in Nigeria.
It aims to raise HIV and AIDS awareness across regional, ethnic and class divides in the country.
Fifty-two episodes are being produced by a Nigerian team trained by the BBC World Service Trust, and broadcast at peak viewing times by the Nigerian Television Authority's network of television stations.
Flava and Ya Take Ne
I want to have an HIV test
SMS text message from Zaria, listener to ‘Flava’
Flava and Ya Take Ne, two weekly radio talk shows in Nigerian English and Hausa, explore issues around HIV and AIDS, sexual health and gender.
The programmes feature a mix of discussion, music, interviews, features, phone calls from listeners and letters. Topics covered include:
- The stigma of being HIV positive at work and at home
- How to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child
- HIV and marriage
- Family planning
- Women's rights
- HIV in schools.
The programmes serve as an open forum for young people to talk about issues that concern them, including relationships, personal development, life-skills, youth culture and sexual and reproductive health.
"I want to have an HIV test. My brother said it isn't right, but I must do it to be on the safe side. "
SMS text message from listener to 'Flava'
Flava is broadcast in English by 50 radio stations, while Ya Take Ne is broadcast in the Hausa language by 35 stations.
TV and radio spots
Hundreds of radio and television public service announcements have been produced in Nigeria's four most widely spoken languages.
The PSAs range in length from 30 to 60 seconds. They make use of powerful personal testimonies to communicate HIV and AIDS related messages. The PSAs are played on most radio and TV stations across the country.
Films
Nigeria is home to an active and well-established video film industry. Films are produced on low budgets but are highly popular and are judged to have as much impact on popular opinion and culture in Nigeria as television.
Many Nigerian films feature strong social and moral messages.
Video films are well-distributed across Nigeria, primarily through regional film 'markets' and video clubs. There are over 2,000 video clubs in Lagos alone, each with approximately 40 members.
We are working in partnership with the Nigerian video film industry to incorporate HIV and Aids related messages into the storylines of a number of films. The films are produced by local directors and production teams with guidance from the BBC World Service Trust.
The storylines and messages of the films relate to HIV and AIDS, but do not focus exclusively on these issues and are designed to appeal to large audiences. Messages include promoting condom use and discussing discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS.
One Hausa language film sold 10,000 copies in the first week of its release.
Research and impact
A 'baseline' survey was carried out right at the beginning of the project to assess the media consumption habits of the intended audience - young Nigerians who watch TV or listen to the radio.
More
Midway through the project, a midline survey was carried out in the same six states to assess the impact that the Stop HIV campaign was having on audiences. More
TrainingWe are providing extensive radio and television production training to our broadcast partners.
Radio workshops include training in talk show and radio spots production, and training in integrating audience feedback into programme production. Television and film training has focussed on script-writing, spots production, editing and production of reality TV programmes.
In addition to teaching technical production skills, training courses have promoted increased and more accurate coverage of HIV and AIDS in all media, and aim to counter the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV and AIDS.
Awards
At the Asia Media Summit, "Stella", a public service announcement won the World Award for best PSA on HIV and AIDS. The Stop HIV campaign has also won a number of awards in Nigeria during the last two years.
